The Wizard's Cousin
by JemmadA
Summary: Julie Robinson had never thought that a simple school reunion could give her so much more to think about...   mostly canon Dudley/OC - Harry/Ginny
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: _**I do not own Harry Potter!**_

Chapter 1

**Prologue**

"So, what about Harry Potter?" Julie Robinson asked her friend Melanie while holding an old Primary School photograph she'd found the day before buried under stacks and stacks of paper at the very bottom of one of her desk's drawers.

"Who?" replied Mel vaguely, looking up from the list of names she'd just scribbled down on the back of a green-coloured leaflet. The short, fair-haired girl sitting cross-legged on her bed rolled her eyes at her friend in disbelief.

"Harry Potter, Dudley Dursley's cousin, the small, skinny one with black hair and glasses...here, have a look," Julie explained handing the battered old photo to her friend.

Mel eagerly took it from Julie's hand and her eyes moved fast from young face to young face until she spotted him, a small boy in baggy clothes on the far left of the first row.

"Uh, yes. I remember him now...I've never seen him once since we left primary school. What happened to him, anyway?" she asked Julie curiously.

"No idea," Julie answered uncertainly. "I saw him once or twice during summer holidays when I was fourteen or fifteen. That's about it. Mrs. Dursley told my parents they had sent him to this school for criminals or something...pretty weird to tell you the truth."

"School for criminals?" Mel snorted. "He was odd, no need to deny that, but not a criminal. Dudley Dursley ought to have gone to that school instead!"

"Dudley? Yeah, you're right. He was such a bully at the time..." Julie said slowly."I met him a few weeks ago, though, and he's changed A LOT!"

"Really?" asked Mel, a look of clear scepticism etched across her face. "Well, I admit he's in good shape now, all that boxing helped, I reckon."

"No, no, I don't mean just that!" Julie said quickly, sounding oddly embarrassed. "When I talked to him he wasn't as unsufferable as he used to be and he asked me - politely - how I was and what I'm planning to do after I graduate."

"Ha ha someone's got a crush..." Mel said in a sing-song voice while tying her dark brown hair in a neat pony-tail. She was wearing that kind of annoying knowing look that could instantly tell she'd seen through her friend's crumbling façade. Mel had finally understood the real reason behind Julie's eager interest in a Primary School class reunion after so many years of almost non existent contact with her ex classmates.

She and Julie had in fact attended a secondary school in London while most of the Little Whinging people had gone to Stonewall, the town comprehensive, that had effectively cut both of them off of the old gang's gatherings and parties.

However, if there's anything anyone could have given Melanie Lamble credit for is how well she'd always been able to read her best-friend's mind. Julie'd never managed to hide stuff from Mel but that was why she'd always been her closest friend after all.

Melanie didn't press the topic further, though. She knew perfectly well Julie wouldn't have liked that at all. She re-checked the invitation list for the up-coming reunion, instead, and with a deep tired yawn she added one last name.

_Harry Potter._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This is just an idea I've been thinking of for a long time. I know it's been done already but I'll try to give my personal twist to it. Let me know what you think!**


	2. The Invitation

Disclaimer: _**I do not own Harry Potter!**_

Chapter 2

**The Invitation**

A few days later, Julie found herself on the doorstep of 4, Privet Drive to deliver two identical invitation letters and, needless to say, she was both excited and anxious at the thought of talking to Dudley Dursley again.

She had spent the whole morning in front of the mirror fixing her long blond hair, trying to make it appear somewhat presentable. She was almost twenty-three years old and the lack of dating opportunities had been getting on her nerves for months.

"What if Dudley isn't interested in me, though?" she thought panicking, "What if I've let my mind fantasying too much about him for the past three weeks?"

What if, what if, what if.

The reunion idea had been entirely Julie's, after all. Melanie had gotten along with it only because she thought it would have been fun having an opportunity to catch up with old friends. Julie knew she couldn't possibly back out now when the majority of the invitations had been already sent.

So there she was, in front of Dudley Dursley's house, biting down on her lips while ringing the door bell, still thinking what the hell she was doing there.

Petunia Dursley opened the door moments later, looking rather annoyed at being disturbed in the middle of her morning housework. Although, when she'd realised who was at her frontstep, she rearranged her expression into a more inviting one.

"Hello, dear!" Mrs Dursley greeted Julie, her horse-like face stretched in a fake smile. "How are you? I haven't seen you in so long! How can I help you with?"

"Hi Mrs. Dursley. I'm fine, thank you. I'm here to see Dudley! I'm organising a school reunion of sorts, to see how everyone's doing and to remember the good times, so I wanted to ask him if he'd like to come," Julie said quite quickly.

"Oh Julie, this is marvellous! It's such a nice idea! Come in, dear, come in," said Mrs Dursley, inviting Julie inside the house and leading her into the sitting-room.

"I'll get Dudley in a second, then I'll prepare some tea," Petunia added hurrying up the stairs, leaving the girl waiting in the spotlessly clean room.

Julie sighed in relief. She couldn't say she'd ever liked Petunia Dursley very much.

The girl glanced curiously at the huge amount of pictures covering the walls. Dudley was in everyone of them. A small round child on his first bike, a young boy wearing a (hideous) school uniform, a proud teenager holding a gold boxing medal...

It surprised Julie to no end that there were no photographs of little Harry, at all. Hadn't he lived with the Dursleys since he was a baby?

Weird. Very weird.

At that moment, the twenty-two year old Dudley entered the room greeting Julia with a large smile. He was wearing training shorts and a loose T-shirt and, from the sweat on his forehead, it looked like he'd been working out.

"Hi Julia, good to see you so soon! What can I do for you?" he asked cheerfully.

"Hi Dudley, I came here to give you the invitation for our first ever primary school reunion. I came up with the idea a couple of weeks ago and Melanie Lamble – do you remember her? - helped me with the overall planning of it," she explained smiling.

"Oh, that's great Julia...I haven't seen her and a lot of the others in ages," he said.

"Yeah, me too. With me being in London most of the time, it's been very hard to keep friends around here! Luckily Mel helped me track everyone's address down," Julie explained, not noticing the effect her words had had on Dudley.

"Everyone?" asked Dudley slowly, a visible frown on his face.

"Yep!" Julie answered brightly, "That's why I came here in person. I need you to invite your cousin - Harry Potter – because Mel and I have no idea what he is up to and -"

"Harry? I dunno. I haven't seen him in four years. I - I could contact him but I doubt he'd like to come. We weren't the best of friends, you know," he said looking hugely uncomfortable. "We sort of made up before he left, though," he added as though he was trying to apologise for not knowing more about his cousin.

Julie found this extremely funny. Wasn't Harry Potter a bad boy...a criminal?

"Made up?" she asked stupidly, hoping to get some more information out of him.

"Well, I'd always been a prat towards him when he lived here and he – er - sort of saved my life twice," mumbled Dudley, his eyes pointedly staring at the floor.

"He saved your life?" Julie asked astonished. "But - but wasn't he a bad guy? Your parents often complained about him, they even sent him to that school for criminals!"

"Harry Potter a bad person?" the blond young man chuckled shaking his head. "Try saying that to his people!" he muttered sarcastically in a very low voice. Yet Julie'd heard him.

"His people? What do you mean?" she asked curiously.

"Uh? I - I meant his - his friends," he stuttered uncomfortably, trying to cover his slip-up.

Julie stared at him suspiciously.

"Well, as he isn't a criminal, I'd really like him to come, too, so, please, try to get in touch with him and give him his letter," she said briskly handing the two envelopes she had in her bag to Dudley.

"Yes, yes I'll try –"

"..."

"I will," he added hastily having caught her doubtful expression.

Right then, Petunia Dursley re-entered the room carrying a large tray filled with what looked like a very big lunch and not a quick tea-break. After serving Julie and her son tea and biscuits, she sat with them and began chatting quite eagerly about petty neighbourhood scandals which, no need to say, held no interest at all for the two ex-classmates.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: A huge thank you to bc378, Zakuro46, AnMarie10, kipler and Call me Mad for reviewing the first chapter and to all of you who faved/alerted this story!**

**JemmadA**


	3. Letters

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: _**I do not own Harry Potter!**_

_**A/N: **_**To all of you who thought I had abandoned this story...I'm sorry! **_**  
><strong>_

**Letters**

Dudley Dursley was torn.

He'd been pacing his office for awhile and his mind hadn't come up with a solution, yet. He had promised Julie to contact Harry to tell him about the reunion, yet he knew there was no chance at all that Harry would somehow accept it.

"_What would Julie think, if I showed up without Harry?"_ Dudley thought desperately. _"Boxing champion Dudley Dursley afraid to contact his cousin. Or worse, big bully Dudley Dursley not caring to invite his hated bullied cousin..."_ _  
><em>

However, asking your cousin for a favour when you know he hates your family's guts for how he'd been treated for sixteen years was going to be as out of the question as explaining to a normal girl that your cousin is a wizard who'd spent half his life riding broomsticks and learning spells and who's revered by his own people as an all-mighty saviour.

The tall blond man sighed dejectedly. He really liked Julie Robinson and he couldn't deny it any longer. If he wanted to impress her, he'd had to convince Harry to come. _  
><em>

"Well," Dudley thought aloud, "Perhaps Harry doesn't really hate _my_ guts anymore. Maybe he moved on. Yeah, right. But he shook my hand and called me Big-D the last time I saw him. Maybe I can ask for a tiny little favour..."

Slightly relieved, he took a deep calming breath and sat down on his black-leather office chair. He turned it towards the window and took a look outside. From his 12th floor office, Dudley had a breathtaking and stunning view of London. It was a sunny summer day and the famous capital looked more lively and bright than usual. His recent promotion to Grunnings marketing manager had worked quite well for him. Even though he knew his father had had to pull a couple of strings with the committee board, Dudley had been trying his hardest to show everyone that he wasn't just the director's son but the right man for the job.

After the "accident", as he used to call the Dementors' attack, his school marks and his overall behaviour had in fact dramatically improved. His parents had linked his sudden change to maturity yet Dudley had know better.

He'd never told anyone about the Dementors and the images they had impressed inside his head. Who would have believed him even if he did?

The closest he had ever come to spill his deepest secrets occurred on one stormy April night while he'd been talking to Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones. They, too had had experiences with those foul creatures and had explained to him in detail what Dementors were and did (definitely better than Harry had once done).

_"Dedalus!"_, thought Dudley with a sudden smile. _"That's who I'm going to ask to give Harry his invitation!"_

...

Harry Potter stared at the unmistakable Grunnings logo on a white and yellow envelope with a kind of terrified foreboding. It had been delivered by an old noisy owl with ruffled feathers which, if he wasn't mistaken, was owned by none other than old Dedalus Diggle.

He carefully opened it and was pleasantly surprised when he realised it was Dudley's and not Vernon's.

_Dear Harry,  
>how are you? I know you may be wondering why I'm writing to you now...well, I'll get straight to the point. We've been invited to a primary school reunion and I promised Julie Robinson I would tell you about it. You'll find the invitation inside the smaller envelope. I'd really like you to come, I'd never had the chance to properly talk to you and I admit it's entirely my fault. I'm sorry for everything.<br>Dudley_

"Short and straight to the point," muttered Harry shaking his head amused. He glanced at the brightly designed invitation and opened it with a sigh.

_Dear Harry,_  
><em>I'm happy to invite you to our first Little Whinging Primary School Class of 1991 Reunion at the Little Whinging Community Hall on July 7th 2002.<em>  
><em>There will be food, drinks and lots and lots of music! <em>  
><em>We hope to see you there!<em>  
><em>yours sincerely,<em>  
><em>Julie Robinson &amp; Melanie Lamble<br>_

Harry rubbed his temples wearily and stopped himself from destroying the letters then and there. He wasn't keen on going to this reunion at all, yet Dudley's words "_I'm sorry for everything_" meant something to him, after all. Dudley was his cousin and apparently the only blood relative that had the courage to contact him after what had happened during the Second Wizarding War.

"I'm not eleven anymore," Harry Potter thought with that streak of Gryffindor attitude he so easily wore nowadays. "I'm about to get married and I'm a bloody good Auror...I can easily face fifteen Muggles that, for all I know, may have completely changed after all this time."

...

When a sudden _tok tok_ coming from the office wide window distracted him from the usual morning phone calls a few days later, Dudley Dursley smiled in relief.

...

**A/N: up next : the reunion! I won't delay this for 6 months again, I promise! Thanks to my wonderful reviewers that made me come back to this story after all this time!** **Reviews?**

**JemmadA** **xxx**


	4. A Much Needed Conversation

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: **_I do not own Harry Potter!_**

**A Much Needed Conversation  
><strong>

Dudley was pleased to say his cousin had now saved his life for the third time. He couldn't believe it when he saw the owl pecking at the window with a letter tied to its leg. He couldn't believe it when he read Harry's positive reply, either.

It was cool having a wizard for a cousin, after all.

...

Happily wearing brand new dark jeans and a freshly ironed black shirt, Dudley walked down the stairs, shouted a hasty "See ya, Mum! Bye, Dad!" and went out the front door, juggling the car keys with his hands. The mild evening air greeted him invitingly, so much more pleasant than his home's overly chilly, air-conditioned interiors.

He got into his shiny new BMW, the latest birthday gift from Petunia and Vernon, turned the engine on and prepared himself for his usual fast and cool evening ride trough Little Whinging deserted streets. Unsurprisingly, he reached the Community Hall car park in less than ten minutes. The place wasn't far from Privet Drive at all, and Dudley mused over the fact he could have easily walked there, instead.

"Oh well," he shrugged it off with a grin. "What's the point of owning a car if you won't drive it?"

He'd been about to open the door when -

_CRACK!_

'Hello Dud -

_ARGHHHHH!_

" -ley! How're you?' Harry Potter asked cheerfully from the passenger seat, a large grin on his face, apparently not fussed over Dudley's terrified expression.

"YOU - how - gave me a fright - CRAZY - person - you - MAD - how?" sputtered Dudley, breathing heavily.

Harry laughed loudly. He looked well. He wasn't the malnourished teen Dudley remembered, but a good-looking young man, with laughing eyes and nice attire.

"How?" Dudley repeated weakly.

Still chuckling, Harry pointed his finger at a dark spot behind the Community Hall building. "I was waiting for you behind that corner over there," he explained, "and thought to greet you accordingly."

"Yes, but _how_?" Dudley repeated stubbornly making a "poof-like" gesture with his large hands.

"Magic," Harry answered simply. There was a moment of silence in which Dudley gave his cousin a short embarrassed stare. "You look good," he said.

"Er, thanks...Not having a mad man around wanting to kill me tends to help a lot," Harry said grimly.

"Or not having to live with gits for relatives, you may add as well," Dudley muttered shamefully.

"Well, yeah, that too," Harry agreed seriously. "But really Dud, the past is in the past now, OK?"

"I'm sorry, Harry," sighed the blond man.

"Apology accepted," replied Harry with a small smile.

Both cousins kept quiet after that, both waiting for the other to say something.

"How - how are you doing?" Dudley finally stammered, clearing his throat loudly.

"Er, I dare say I'm doing well," answered Harry with a touch of satisfaction in his voice. "I'm an Auror, a dark wizard catcher, at the Ministry of Magic. I work with my best friend Ron, you met him once I think, and..." He took a deep breath, "I'm getting married next month," he concluded with a proud grin.

"You're getting married?" Dudley gaped at his cousin. "At 22?"

"Yep, why not?" he exclaimed. "I love her and she loves me. We've been together for almost four years, five actually, if you count the year we'd had to be apart."

"You mean the year you sent us in hiding?" asked Dudley curiously.

"Yes, precisely," Harry nodded.

"What's her name?"

"Ginny. Ginny Weasley."

"Weasley?" Dudley frowned, thinking of magic toffees and exploding sitting rooms.

"Yep, she's Ron's sister," confirmed Harry deciphering Dudley's thoughts. "I'll be able to call them my family at last."

Dudley felt unsurprisingly guilty after hearing his cousin's words. "I'm sorry," Dudley repeated for the second time that night.

"Dud, don't go there again..."

"I should have been your family, too, Harry."

"Dudley, you didn't know any better! It's not your fault," Harry replied tiredly, catching Dudley's eyes.

"You didn't either. But you saved my life even though you hated me!" Dudley exclaimed loudly, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I've never hated you, Dudley," Harry confessed calmly.

Dudley seemed shocked to hear that. "How could you not hate me...Hell, how could you save my life when I always treated you like shit?"

"Hermione calls it my 'saving people thing'," Harry said shrugging.

"Who and what?"

"Never mind."

"Is it some magic thing I can't understand?" asked Dudley, a bit annoyed.

"No, no... My other best friend Hermione thinks I have to save people to be happy," he explained slowly, clearly not liking where the conversation was going.

"Why?" asked Dudley frowning.

"Because too many people died to save me, Dud," he answered wearily.

"You mean your parents?"

"Yeah, them and many many others," Harry answered sadly thinking of Sirius, Remus, Fred, Dumbledore and Snape, just to name a few.

Dudley seemed unsure of what to say. His cousin's life was still too unbelievable to wholly comprehend. With a sigh, he decided to apologise for the third time.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I'd never realised how much you went through while you were living with us. Dedalus and Hestia explained some stuff to me, you know."

"As I said before, it's all in the past," said Harry. "It's hard to know I could have grown up with parents who loved me and experienced Hogwarts as a normal teenager but that didn't happen and I sort of accepted it in the end. I probably wouldn't be the person that I am now otherwise."

"That's - that's good I guess," said Dudley.

"Really Dud, I forgave you a long time ago. You were the only Dursley who tried to apologise to me that day. Let's try to be cousins from now on, alright?"

"Thanks, Harry," muttered Dudley. "I appreciate it a lot."

"Not at all, Dud!" exclaimed Harry, his tone suddenly lighter. "Come on, let's get out of this car and face the terrible Muggles!"

"I'm a Muggle, too, remember?"

"Yeah, I know, but you're an OK one." laughed Harry.

"Just OK? Oh Harry, they're fine. They'll be shocked to see you, you're so different!"

"Me, different?" Harry chuckled. "Ron says I'm still a scrawny git with just a tiny bit more confidence!"

"Isn't Ron your best mate?" asked Dudley a little surprised.

"Yeah, yeah, he likes to tease me. He says he's been trying to make me come down to reality since Witch Weekly have awarded me with the Most Enchanting Smile of the Year and Most Fanciable British Wizard Awards for 4 years running."

"WHAT?"

"Yeah, I know. It's ridiculous, isn't it?"

"I dunno..." said Dudley, weakly shaking his head.

...

_**A/N: Here's another one! I decided to keep it separate from the Reunion's chapter because it seemed to work better on its own. Sorry if it's still a bit too short, though! Thank you to all my reviewers and all of you who alerted/faved this story!**_

_**Reviews?**_

_**JemmadA**_


	5. Too Many Questions

Chapter 5

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!_**

**Too Many Questions**

"How do I look, Mel?" said the blond girl checking her reflection on a tiny make-up mirror.

"You look fine, Julie!" her friend exclaimed, rolling her eyes for the fiftieth time that day. "Stop fidgeting, for heaven's sake! Someone's coming!"

Julie Robinson and Melanie Lamble, both wearing blue matching dresses, were eagerly awaiting their fellow ex-classmates at the reception lobby. Their eyes darted expectantly at the main doors, where two approaching figures were chatting amicably. The two girls looked curiously excited when a nicely dressed Dudley Dursley entered the Hall accompanied by a tall, dark haired bloke with round glasses.

"Hi, Julia! Hullo, Mel!" Dudley waved enthusiastically. "See? I kept my promise, here's the one and only Harry Potter!" he said smiling, gesturing at the tall man lounging uncomfortably beside him.

Julie and Melanie were surprised if not shocked.

Harry Potter?

_"He is unrecognisable!"_ thought Julie. _"Well, except for the messy black hair and the round glasses..."_

Even Melanie was speechless and kept staring open mouthed at Harry who, embarrassed, blushed a little and said a quiet "Hello".

"Hi Harry! I'm Julie and this is Melanie. Do you remember us?" Julie asked, breaking the ice.

"I – yes – I remember. You were the smart one and Melanie the sport freak, right?" Harry said with a smile, his confidence building up a bit.

"Well, yeah..." beamed Julie.

"Do you like sports, too, Harry?" Melanie asked immediately, her tone of voice sweet and dreamy. Julie rolled her eyes. Her best friend had the tendency of becoming a brainless bimbo everytime she faced an interesting man.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do. I played for my house team back in school and I was captain during my 6th year," Harry answered, a tiny hint of pride in his voice. Dudley Dursley looked positively surprised at this last statement.

"What sport?" Mel asked then, her curiosity peaking.

Dudley now looked apprehensively at his cousin, Julie noticed. _How odd._

"Er...football," said Harry not too quickly. Needless to say, Julie had noticed the hesitation. Melanie apparently hadn't.

"Which position?" she asked him, in fact.

"Goalie," answered Harry, rather promptly this time.

"Really?" Melanie was hooked.

"I – yes – really," he chuckled uncomfortably.

"So, how was your school?" Julie asked interested. "Dudley's never really told us where you were sent to," Julie lied smoothly. Dudley cringed and glanced at his cousin. Harry seemed to ponder a bit before answering.

"School? I went to a boarding school in Scotland. The same as my parents. They sort of enrolled me there when I was born," said Harry slowly.

_"That is shocking!"_ thought Julie. _"Did the Dursleys tell everyone a big fat lie?"_

"Were your parents criminals, too?" Melanie asked a bit worried. Dudley looked positively alarmed and Julie groaned. Typical Mel.

"What?" Harry exclaimed, sounding angry.

"Julie told me you were sent to a school for criminals! She heard it from Dudley's Mum..." muttered Mel looking accusingly at her best friend.

"Sorry, Harry," said Julie in a very small voice.

Surprisingly, Harry turned to Dudley laughing "Did people here really believe I was sent to that crap St Brutus thing that's never existed?"

"I guess so," answered Dudley contrite, his eyes staring at the marble floor. Harry didn't seem to mind that much and waved his hand as if to say "it doesn't matter". He turned to face Julie and Melanie once again.

"The truth is I got a place at a school better than Dudley's so my charming Uncle and Aunt told everyone I was a criminal only to make me look worse than their precious Dudders," Harry explained to them, a small smile playing on his lips. Dudley huffed at the horrible nickname, yet didn't deny his cousin's words. Julie and Mel laughed and relaxed a bit. Harry Potter wasn't a criminal after all.

"So what are you doing right now?"Julie asked, trying to change topic.

"Hey, hey, is this a murder investigation or a school reunion?" chuckled Harry diverted.

"A school reunion where the girls want to know how come a nice guy as yourself managed to disappear from the face of the Earth!" Mel answered with a grin. Harry turned red.

"He's getting married next month," said Dudley with a slightly irritated tone. It bothered him quite a lot that Harry had been getting all the attention since their arrival.

"Oh!" was what Mel managed to say. She looked downright disappointed.

"Really?" Julie asked pleasantly surprised.

"Yes. Her name's Ginny and -"

"Where did you two meet?" Mel asked pointedly.

"She's my best mate's little sister and we all went to the same school. We first got together in my 6th year, her 5th," he answered politely.

"First got together? Did you break up at some point?" asked Mel, surely hoping for a second break-up. Julie shook her head slightly.

"Ah, well, not really. I had to go – away – as an exchange student for a year and I thought it was better for her not to wait for me but...I came back and we've been together ever since."

"Lucky her," hissed Mel so that only Julie could hear.

There was an awkward pause until Julie asked timidly, "So, you must have a job, right?" inwardly hoping he wasn't unemployed.

"Yes, I do. I've been working for four years now. I'm in the police department. Top secret investigations and stuff like that," he replied vaguely.

...

Over the following hour more people had arrived, all wearing their best clothes and greeting one another with hand-shakes, hugs and cheerful smiles. Cries of "Oh, my God! Harry Potter, is that you?" could be heard every time a new person came in the room, as if Harry Potter had been a popular boy and not the bullied loner.

_"Time changes things,_" Harry thought over and over, smiling politely at those boys and girls that had made his life a living Hell as a kid. He struck brief conversations with most of them, realising more and more that this was more like a healing process than a school reunion for him.

...

Julie Robinson's ever present quest for knowledge and truth was forcefully pushing her to struck a conversation with Harry Potter, who was helping himself to some treacle tart from the dessert table. She walked closer to him and filled her plate with a large slice of chocolate mud cake.

"Is it good?" she casually asked Harry, dubiously eyeing his choice of dessert.

"Er, it's alright," he said. "I've had better but considering it's my favourite treat, I tend to be a bit fussy."

"Thanks for being sincere," Julie sighed. "I'm not particularly happy with the food in general but can't do anything about it now, can I?"

"It's ok," Harry smiled. "Everyone seem to be enjoying themselves anyway." He eyed Dudley who was loudly catching up with Piers and Malcolm, bottles of beer in their hands.

"It's good seeing you and Dudley finally getting along," Julie commented happily.

"I wouldn't have believed it if you'd told me that eleven years ago," he chuckled. Julie grimaced. She remembered pretty well the two cousins' relationship in Primary School. Round, spoilt Dudley and skinny, neglected Harry. They had both lived in the same house, yet they'd been so different. Everyone in their neighbourhood knew how hated Harry had been by the Dursleys. In fact, Julie couldn't picture Mr and Mrs Dursley ever paying a dime for their nephew's education.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" she asked him.

"I reckon so," he said hesitantly.

"Did the Dursleys pay for your education?"

Harry laughed. Not all Muggles were as dim-witted as his Aunt and Uncle, after all.

"No, they didn't. My Dad came from a wealthy family and he left me quite enough gold," he said casually.

"Gold?"

"Er, I mean money," Harry said hastily covering his slip-up.

"You're odd, you know," Julie said with a chuckle.

"Er, I've been told that quite a lot," Harry grinned back at her. She let out a small laugh, her eyes bearing that distinct Hermione-ish questioning look Harry knew so well. He braced himself for the worst. He'd never been a good liar yet now it was the time to sum up all his experience in disguise and deceit.

"I remember you as a boy and you were shy, you lacked confidence and let Dudley treat you like a doormat. Now, you're still a bit shy but not much, you're confident and I can feel not many people dare crossing you, am I right?" said Julie.

"Er, yeah," Harry looked at her surprised. "How did you get all that?"

"I'm graduating in Psychology next month so it's pretty much my job to figure people out," Julie explained proudly.

"Impressive," said Harry.

"And I dare say the school you attended helped bringing out the real you..." she continued.

"So right you are," he agreed, eating the last bite of treacle tart.

"How, though?" Julie persisted. "I mean, schools are quite similar and usually if a person is bullied it'll be difficult for that to change. It's hard for shy people to break out of their shell..."

Harry slowly placed his plate back onto the table.

"Are you analysing me?" he asked worried.

"Not really, well, maybe. Explain what helped you change. I might need it for future research, if it's not too much to ask."

Harry looked back at her skeptikally. He doubted his life could ever be properly explained to a Muggle.

"Sorry, Harry!" she said quickly. "I didn't want to pry or -"

"That's OK, I'll start from the beginning," he said with a sigh. Better a summed up, censored version of his life than an overly curious Muggle girl pestering Dudley for information tomorrow. "I was 15 months old when my parents were murdered -"

"Murdered?" Julie exclaimed shocked. "I thought they died in a car crash!"

"That's the Dursleys' version," Harry grimaced. "I was told the truth only a month before leaving for my school."

Julie stared at him sympathetically.

"Anyway," he continued, "When they died I was sent to live with Dudley's family. Aunt Petunia is my Mum's sister -"

"What were your parents' names?" Julie interrupted him.

"James and Lily," Harrry answered in a sad voice. "They were brave people."

"Who murdered them?" she asked.

"A psycopath," Harry said coldly. "He's dead now, though."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Harry filled two glasses with sparkling white wine and gave one to Julie, who took it with a small smile.

"Why didn't the Dursleys tell you the truth from the start?" Julie asked after taking a few sips of the wine. "I mean, we all thought your parents had been drink driving! Mrs Dursley always implied that!"

"Aunt Petunia didn't get along with my Mum," Harry sighed. "She fabricated the car crash story to keep me in the dark and away from my parents' circle of friends. She would have managed it if my parents hadn't enrolled me at their former school."

Julie stared at him hardly. She could sense that wasn't the entire truth, yet she was grateful enough for Harry to be discussing these things with her. She was one of the girls who'd never talked to "Potter the freak" back in Primary School, after all.

"Then I received the letter from Hog - my school - and entered the world my parents lived in, I found out I was rich and my name was well known at the school," said Harry.

"Why?" asked Julie, before she could stop herself.

"Because of my parents' murder," he answered simply. "Anyway, I met my first and best friends Ron and Hermione on the first day and we were sorted in the same house."

"House?"

"It is a school tradition to divide the students into four groups, or houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Ron, Hermione and I were sorted in Gryffindor, the house of the brave," he explained.

"That's cool!" Julie exclaimed. "How do they sort people, though?"

"Considering their values and such," Harry said. "It's a kind of test," he added, thinking fondly of the old, battered Sorting Hat.

"So, you got your first friends...how are they?"

"Well, Ron's funny, loves sport, he's a chess wizard, brave, loyal and Hermione is awfully smart, knows absolutely everything and loves equality and justice. They married last year," he told Julie, who was scraping the top of her, otherwise untouched, cake with a fork.

''Do you think you've become who you're now thanks to your friends, then?" she asked curiously.

"Partly. But the whole story is too long and crazy for you to hear..." he said mysteriously.

"Does Dudley know it?" she asked eagerly. Harry chuckled and shook his head diverted.

"He knows the basics but not the detailed thing," he answered vaguely, winking at her.

...

**A/N: Hope you liked it :) Next: Reunion part 2 ;)**  
><strong>Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers and subscribers! <strong>


	6. Mysteries

Chapter 6

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!_**

**Mysteries**

"Harry?"

"Yes, Dud?"

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah, it's been better than I thought it would," chuckled Harry. "Muggles aren't that bad after all..."

Dudley scoffed.

"Just teasing, Dud," Harry said laughing, his eyes sweeping around the room as if to catch something he thought he'd missed. "Muggles aren't that much different from wizards, you know. We are all human beings. We love the same things, we do the same mistakes."

The blond man nodded with a sigh.

"I'm glad I can understand this now," he mumbled.

"I'm glad I came here tonight," smiled Harry. "I really believed these people to be evil."

Dudley frowned.

Harry kept quiet and took a sip of beer Malcolm had given him earlier. He wasn't sure he liked the Muggle amber drink that much.

Both cousins' attention was then drawn to Melanie, who was mimiking a football player in the middle of the dance floor.

"Er, what is she doing?" Harry asked perplexed.

"I think she's trying to look like Keira Knighthley," he answered amused.

Harry gave him a questioning look.

"She's one of the main actresses in Bend It Like Beckham. A huge hit movie about female football players," he explained.

Harry nodded slowly, not sure if he would've looked stupid asking Dudley who Beckham actually was. He decided not to and chuckled with the others when Melanie tripped on herself and fell to the floor. She got up, slightly red in the face and immediately joined in her friends' laughter.

"Were you really the team captain at your school?" Dudley asked curiously after awhile.

"Yeah..."

"Which position?" Dudley questioned Harry eagerly. "Chaser?"

"How - how do you know about Chasers?" Harry asked him stunned.

"Dedalus told me a bit about your world while we were in hiding," he explained with a shrug.

"It was never my intention to let you go through all that," Harry said sincerely.

"Nah, don't apologise, Harry. I was a bit scared at the start, then really loved it," said Dudley grinning. "My parents were never happy about me socialising with the enemies, though."

"I'd bet," Harry said with a chuckle. The mental image of Petunia and Vernon hiding in a shack with a witch and a wizard was downright hilarious. He would've never thought it possible without ending in murder.

"So, er, which position?"

Harry had stared at Dudley for a moment before remembering what they'd been talking about just moments before.

"Seeker," Harry said. "Got in the team in my first year. I'd thought I was going to be punished for riding a broomstick when I wasn't allowed to but the Transfiguration Professor gave me the seeker position, instead."

"That was luck," said Dudley surprised, shaking his head.

"Yeah, you might say that," Harry thought reminiscently.

"But how did you know how to – er – _fly_? I mean you had never practised before!"

"I've been told I'm a natural at flying, like my Dad. Then a few years ago I found out my Godfather gave me my first broomstick when I was one year old. So it wasn't the first time for me even though I couldn't remember it."

...

_Muggles? Chaser and seeker? Broomsticks? Flying?_

Julie's head was spinning. From the snippets of hushed conversation she'd just overheard, the two cousins were hiding something _major_. She leaned her back onto a wall and, partly hidden behind a decorative pillar, kept watching Harry and Dudley with fascination.

When Dudley excused himself shortly after and walked to the rest rooms, Harry started to chat with Gordon, instead. It made Julie chuckle. Gordon had been in Dudley's gang back in primary school and Harry had always been their first target.

Harry, however, didn't seem bothered by that fact at all, even though Gordon was looking uncomfortably at him, almost expecting a punch in the face or something like that. Julie heard them discussing about motorbikes and engines. Harry apparently owned a '70s custom-made one.

The blond girl was still staring at Harry when Dudley came back into the room and noticed her sitting alone in a corner.

"Admiring my cousin?" Dudley asked her, a faint trace of irritation in his voice. He took a chair and sat down beside her.

"Er..." she mumbled blushing.

"I see," Dudley said looking disappointed.

Julie immediately realised how she must have looked like and blushed even more.

"No, no, no. It's not like that," she tried to explain at once. "I'm not interested in him in that way! He's getting married and all for good's sake! It's - It's just - I dunno - he's strange if you get what I mean."

Dudley looked at her and sighed uncomfortably.

"Yes. I know exactly what you mean," he said.

Julie gave a fleeting look at Harry once again then turned to face Dudley with a determined expression.

"What are you two hiding?" she suddenly blurted out.

"H-hiding?" he half chocked, visibly panicking.

"Well, from what I got out of him earlier, his parents were murdered, he went to live with your parents who hated him –"

"I'm not proud of it," Dudley said quickly.

" – he disappeared to an unknown school, he saved your life twice –"

"Please Julia," Dudley interrupted her. "I can't say anything about Harry, ok?"

"Why?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I did," he answered simply. With that he stood up and joined in Harry and Gordon's conversation.

...

They all called it a night shortly after. The hall was closing soon and some of the ex-classmates had to go to work early the following day. Julie felt as all her excitement had vanished in a puff of smoke. She'd been waiting for the reunion so badly that, in the middle of "good byes" and "see you soons, she wished for a magic wand to be able to stop time.

_"When will I see Dudley again?"_ she thought scornfully while hugging Samantha. _"And what about Harry? It'd be really nice to see him again, too – and find out what he's hiding."_

Mel was waving at her, while mouthing _"Mark's dropping me home"_ behind the said boy's back. Julie waved back with a smile. Mel had got something out of the party, at least.

While exiting the Hall, her grim thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Dudley who was calling after her. He was standing with Harry near to his expensive car.

"Hey Julie, thanks for the nice evening," he said pleasantly. Julie beamed at him.

"Would you like a lift home?" he added after that, noticing that his car was the only one left in the parking.

"Oh, thanks Dudley, that'd be wonderful," she said at once. "Are you sure it's not going to be a problem, though?" she added blushing, realising she'd been to eager accepting his offer.

Dudley smiled.

"Not at all! You don't live that far from my place, anyway," he assured her happily.

The two blond-haired friends looked at one another embarrassedly, almost knowing what the other one was thinking.

Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Er, well, I'll be going then. Thanks for having invited me, Julie. I quite enjoyed catching up with you all," said Harry.

"I'm happy to hear that," Julie replied. Dudley nodded in agreement.

"How're you going home, though? You don't live near here, don't you?" Julie asked perplexed.

"Yeah right, I - I'm staying over there for the night," said Harry pointing at the Little Whinging Bed & Breakfast Inn at the corner of Main St and Russell St. "Then I'm catching a train home in the morning".

"Oh, right. Do you live far from here?" she enquired curiously.

Harry looked at her half-exasperated. She was worse than Hermione at getting information out of people.

"Nah, I live in London," he answered vaguely.

Julie didn't look put off by his tone, at all.

"Well, then, I wish you all the best Harry," said Julie. "I'd really like to meet your Ginny, she seems such a nice girl! But I guess I won't be seeing you anytime soon, will I?' she added half-heartedly.

Harry smiled at her even more amused.

"Well, we could always catch up in London. Just plan it with Dud here and he'll let me know," he said to her, surprising even himself.

Dudley looked at Harry questioningly with a half-incredulous, half-pleased expression.

"That'd be nice!" Julie said cheerfully.

With that Harry said good bye to them and waited for them to get into the car.

Julie fastened her seat-belt while Dudley turned the engine on. When the girl looked outside the window to wave a last bye at Harry, she thought it rather odd he had already left.

...

**A/N: I apologise for my very late update. :( To all of you that have been reviewing and asked me to keep going with this story, THANK YOU! I really needed the encouragement! I'm not particularly happy with this chapter at all, though...**

**I'm sorry I haven't included Ginny in the reunion as some of you were hoping. It was my decision to have an ex-classmates only party as I'm planning to introduce her later. The reunion was just a way to introduce Julie and to explain the Harry-Dudley improved relationship. I know that Harry may seem too open in my story, yet I believe he's not a teenager anymore, as he's an Auror and a respected person in the magical world. That gives him confidence and isn't a negative thing in my opinion. **

**Jem**


	7. Lunch Break

Disclaimer_: **I do not own Harry Potter!**_

Chapter 7

**_A/N: a 'cute' short chapter in which Ginny finally enters the scene. Enjoy!_**

**Lunch Break**

Harry checked his wrist watch a few times while hurrying up Diagon Alley, dodging a cluster of over-excited witches and the usual harassing reporter. It was a busy Saturday for the alley. The sky was cloudless and the street was packed with Hogwarts students enjoying the first weekend of the summer holidays with their families.

Harry was late.

He had not meant to be, not this time, not _again. _Yet, the bad guys seemed to like action precisely when he was about to leave the office. He clenched his hands angrily, his thoughts on those two dimwits who...

_Stop thinking about work, Potter _he told himself while speeding in front of an old, frail wizard walking slowly.

He checked the watch one last time before pushing the heavy door of Red Kneazle Cafe, a venue shot to popularity about a year after the War. The aroma of fresh ground coffee mixed with the fragrance of toasted bread made the place warm and inviting. Not for the young Auror, though.

"_Fifty-five minutes late,_" he thought. "_Bugger._"

He briskly walked to the counter, his eyes sweeping over the busy room looking for someone.

"Miss Weasley is waiting at your usual table, Mr Potter," the plump, grey-haired matron said to him loudly, pointing to the far left corner of the cafe near to the windows.

"Thanks Verena," Harry sighed.

"You've very late!" she added with a grin.

"Thanks for pointing that out," he replied with a chuckle. "I'm sure I'll get my fair share of comments on the matter from that red-head over there, too."

"She won't bite," the matron said, winking at Harry. "Go, now! Issa'll come to take your orders in a moment."

Harry nodded and shaking his head, walked to the table where Ginny had been waiting since...

"12 o'clock, Harry!" she sighed exasperated. "I've been here since 12 o'clock! I hope you have a very good excuse this time..."

"Er..." Harry grinned sheepishly while sitting down at the table. "You look stunning today, honey," he said charmingly giving her a kiss.

Ginny half-glared at him before bursting into laughter. "Whatever..." she said exasperated. 'I'm going to assume you've just saved the world from unspeakable evil _once_ _again."_

"Nah, just saved it from a couple of idiots playing with dark curses," Harry said leaning back on the chair. "They won't be sent to Azkaban but they'll get a fine for sure. One of the two is Parkinson's cousin, though. Pretty loaded as far as I know. He'll probably pay the sum without a worry and laugh about it afterwards," he scowled.

"Old money does wonders," Ginny sighed with a grim smile. "I'm glad it wasn't anything worse, though," she voiced aloud as in afterthought. The dark-haired wizard nodded half-thinkingly.

"How's your week been?" Harry asked her while glancing at the menu.

"The usual. Quidditch, quidditch and quidditch," she said. "I managed to go home and have dinner with Mum and Dad just once. Gwenog is a real harpy these days. She really wants to win the League this year."

"You can't blame her," Harry said thoughtfully. "I'd be the same if I were captain."

"You were the same when you were captain," Ginny laughed. "With the minor drawback of getting detention on the last match."

"We got together because of it," said Harry with a smirk. They smiled at each other, both of their thoughts on the happy event that was going to happen in just a few more weeks.

"How was the reunion, then?" asked Ginny lightly after awhile.

"Not bad, really," Harry answered. "Dudley's changed."

"For better or for worse?" she questioned him critically.

"For better," said Harry thoughtfully. "That won't make us the best of mates, though."

"And the other muggles?" Ginny asked, her eyes curious.

"The muggles were nice. Dudley's gang was terrified of me," said Harry. "Dunno why," he added with a grin. Ginny let out a low chuckle.

"Well, I reckon you're not scrawny little Harry, anymore, aren't you?" she teased him.

"Ha ha, really funny," he said grumpily. "You liked me even then, remember?"

"Er, well, that's beside the point..." she said kissing him on the cheek.

"What does that mean?" he asked grinning.

"I liked you because you were such a cute little thing..."

"Cute," he scoffed.

"Why can't guys be called cute?"

"Well, first I'm not a Pigmy Puff and second I can't remember winning Most Cutest British Wizard Award."

"Oh, that would've been hilarious!" she chuckled. "Think of what Ron and George would've said!"

"_That_'s beside the point..."

"I know you keep annoying everyone with that award just because it made you win that bet with Ron," Ginny laughed. "But be careful, you're starting to sound like Lockhart."

Harry looked at her in horror. She ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Anyway, what do muggles talk about at muggle reunions?" she asked interestedly closing the menu.

"Same stuff as us, well, minus the magic part. You know, plans, life in general, hobbies. I actually started talking about my life to one of the girls, Julia, she's a bit like Hermione, always wanting to go into the depth of things."

"You talked to a muggle about your life?" Ginny asked him in disbelief.

"Ready to order?" interrupted the blond haired waitress, Issa, arriving at their table looking flustered.

"I'd like a warm chicken salad and a butterbeer, please," said Ginny politely, her eyes still fixed on Harry.

"Make two butterbeers and a..." Harry gave a swift look at the menu, "a grilled steak sandwich, thank you."

The waitress scribbled on her notepad in a hurry before rushing back to the busy kitchen.

"So you talked to a Muggle about your life?" Ginny repeated her question impatiently.

'Nah, not really, just basic stuff, you know, school, friends, my fiancee." he said airily.

"You talked to her about Hogwarts?"

"I didn't call it _Hogwarts_, Ginny," said Harry, rolling his eyes upwards. "I've got more sense than Ron, you know. I said I went to an Independent School in Scotland for selected few... I mentioned neither magic nor broomsticks."

Ginny lifted her eyebrows but didn't comment.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Nothing," she replied hastily.

It was Harry's turn to look unconvinced.

"Well," she started forcefully. "You never talk to people about your life. You do find it hard still to tell _me _things about your past."

"So?"

She looked at him annoyed. "I can't imagine you talking about it to a muggle, of all people, and not to _me_."

"Ginny," he said uncomfortably. "You, Ron and Hermione know more than anyone else —"

"I _know_ that, Harry!" she exclaimed. "But why would you tell a muggle anything at all?"

"I dunno, honestly," Harry thought aloud. "She was really friendly, a bit curious..."

"And?"

"Well, Julia said she'd really like to meet you. So, I thought that maybe we can catch up with her and Dudley before the wedding," he said. "What do you think?" Harry asked her tentatively.

"Why?"

"I dunno, but I think she and my cousin like each other and..."

"And?" Ginny repeated half-amused.

"And I'd like to invite Dudley to our wedding and I think he might say yes and want to bring Julia as a date..." said Harry.

"But she can't know about us!" Ginny said frowning. "I don't know Harry. Is this so important to you?"

"After last night I think it is," Harry sighed. "Dudley's the only relative I can talk civilly with."

Ginny smiled taking his hands in hers.

"Talk to Kingsley, then," she said to him. "See if we can bend the law a tiny bit for this. Are they dating, at least?"

"No, not yet, I think."

She looked at him incredulously. "Is Harry James Potter playing match-maker?"

"Dudley gave her a lift home last night, Ginny. I'm not Ron," Harry laughed.

Ginny rolled her eyes at the mention of her brother.

"I hope you know what you're doing," she finally said while Issa the waitress laid their food and drinks on the table.

...

**_Reviews are always welcome! _**

**_A huge thank you to all of you who are following this story! :)_**


	8. Friends

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: _**I do not own Harry Potter!**_

**A/N: A very very very short and Muggle chapter to get to know Julie a tiny bit better. **

**Friends**

"I can't believe _he _kissed you!" Mel exclaimed, her eyes round in surprise. "He used to stick bubble-gum in your hair when we were kids, remember? I thought it was just a _phase _after _you-know-who,_ but I would've never imagined – she sighed in desperation – Dudley, Jules? Why _Dudley Dursley_?"

"Why Mark Higgs, then?" Julie huffed offended. "He used to call you Monkey Face, _remember_?"

"It was years ago and, anyway, Mark's _hot_," was the quick reply.

"So Dudley isn't, uh?" asked Julie slightly irritated.

"I don't like blonds."

"Thanks," the blond girl replied.

"Oh, come on!" Mel laughed out loud. "I don't like blond _men_, you idiot."

"That's reassuring," Julie snickered.

Melanie looked at her friend, a frown on her face.

"You really, really like him, uh?" It was more a statement than a question.

"He's changed," said Julie not meeting her friend's eyes.

"That's not what I asked."

Julie sighed exasperated, there was never a way out of Mel's questionnaires.

"Yes, Mel, I really, really like him," she confessed.

"Be careful then."

"I will, don't worry."

"If he breaks your heart I'll break his legs."

"He won't."

"But if he does, I will."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"No, listen to me!" Mel exclaimed. "Don't you dare fall for him like –"

"I know –"

"I remember every single tear you've shed for that other piece of –"

"I know –"

"No, you don't. You don't have a clue how worried I've been for months. I thought you were going to do something stupid, your parents were terrified, your sister kept calling me four times a week 'cause she didn't know how to even talk to you –"

"Believe me, I know," said Julie grimacing. "I know I've been to hell and back since February but Dudley is different. He's changed, he's got a good job and wants to do something with his life –"

"Those are the same words you used to describe _him,_" Mel reminded her.

"_He_ manipulated me and lied to me from the moment we met," Julie said angrily.

"Dudley might be doing the same!"

"He's different."

"How?"

"Dudley's never been a drug addict."

"Don't blame drugs for what that evil shit did to you! He was rotten to the core with or without drugs!"

"Drugs made him that way!" Julie said loudly, her hands shaking.

"Stop finding excuses for his behaviour! Stop thinking you're the one to blame! Stop thinking there was something wrong with _you_ for _him_ to treat you that way!" the brunette said outraged. "Please, just please, tell me you don't have any _feelings _left for that monster..." Mel added wearily.

"I'll never forget what I felt for the person I thought _Tom_ was," Julie sighed.

Melanie looked at her surprised, her mouth agape.

"What?" Julie asked her unnerved by her friend's reaction.

"You said the _name_."

"It was about time, don't you think?" Julie said with a shaky laugh.

"Yeah, it was," Mel smiled. "I'm just glad you're finally coming back."

Julie hugged Mel tightly, feeling blessed to have someone like her in her life. Even in the darkest of times she'd been a constant, Julie's only fiery beacon of hope in a well of pain.

"Thank you for everything, Mel," Julie whispered, her voice thick with tears. "I wouldn't have made it without you."

"You're welcome, Jules," Mel said. "That's what best friends are for."

"I really like Dudley, you know," she said after a while. "For the first time in months I kind of feel whole again."

...

_A/N: I'm not entirely sure why I'm posting this chapter... I came up with it because I thought there was too much of a gap between chapter 7 and 8. It's very personal, very real and means a lot to me. If there ever comes a time anyone of you falls for a person who was/is on drugs... run as fast as you can. Never give your heart to a person who can't keep it safe..._

_Thanks to all my reviewers and followers... sorry for the long delay, I'll try to be quicker with the next update!_


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